Vending machine



April 1, 1930. LE ROY GREENE VENDING MACHINE- Fi le :1 Feb. 13. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor .Z/ :9 fireezae April 1, 1930. LE ROY GREENE VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iiiliililliam Patented Apr. 1, 1930 LE ROY GREENE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS VENDING MACHINE Application filed February 13, 1929. Serial No. 339,631.

'1 his invention relates to an improved vending machine especially constructed for vending telephone slugs.

'The invention comprises a locked casing ha ing a pair of internal tubular containers,

in which nickels and slugs are stacked. Cooperating with each tubular container is an individual runway discharging into a deposit depression.

Also cooperating with; each container s a plunger and a coin chute asocia ted therewith, the arrangement being such that'by deposrt ing' a. nickel and operatingthe plunger, a slug may be obtained for use in a telephone, and being further such to enable surplus slugs to be redeemed for nickels.

In carrying out the invention, I have pro rided a structure which is practical, smooth and positive in operation, highly eiiicient in performance in all respects, and susceptible of fulfilling the requirements of invention of this class in an honest and satisfactory manner.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view through the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section taken approximately on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional fragmentary view showing the method of operating the plunger and the coin and slug control.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the plunger per se, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken approximately upon the plane of the line 77 of Figure 2.

In the drawings, the reference character 8 designates a base having a depression 9 at its front for reception of coins and slugs. Mounted on this base is the box like casing 10 having the hinged cover or lid 11, and

locking means 12 therefor. In practice, it is desired to have the front plate 13 removable 'to facilitate access to the interior and particularly'to the coin and slug collection receptacle 14 on the interior.

As before indicated, I provide two vertically extending tubularcontainers 15 and 16 respectively as seen in Figure 3. The container 15 is adapted to contain a stack of nickels' and the container 16 is adapted to contain a stack of slugs for operating a telephone. Individual devices are employed for controlling the discharge of coins and slugs.

The means for accomplishing this result is the same in each case, but before describing this means I wish to call attention to the reference character 17 which-designates a slug discharging chute or runway leading to the deoression 9, while the reference character 18 designates a nickel or 'coin discharge chute leadii'ig to the same receptacle. These coins and slugs are fed into the depressions "by gravity. I may also mention that the reference character 19 designates a slug'entrance slot and 20' a nickel slot; 'Then,t'oo,'therefe'rence character 21 designates a nicket releasing plunger for cooperationwith'the'container 15 and the reference character 22 aslug releasing plunger for cooperation with the container 16. The mechanism for accomplishing the discharging of the nickels and the slugs 1s the same, however. For instance, by referring to Figure 2," 1t Wlll be observed that 23 designates a gravity chute whose upper end is in registry with the appropidatevslot" and whose lower end discharges into an apertured depression 24 formed in the bottom of the horizontal guide channel 25. The channel in each instance ext-ends beneath the appropriate container 15 and 16 as the case may be, At the intake end of the chute 17 in Figure 2 is an opening 26,, through which a slug is discharged into the part 17. For the sake of illustration, the description will now be confined to the dischargeof slugs from the container 16 as seen in Figure 2. In this connection, it will be observed that the chute 23 has an elongated slot 27, over the collection receptacle 14 to prevent fraudulent operation. In the event that'a coin of a size less than a nickel is inserted into the slot 20, it will drop through the slot 27 into the receptacle l l and will fail to operate the plunger control mechanism. Theplunger shown in Figure 6 comprises a plate like slide 28 slidable in the guide channel 25, having a keeper notch 29 on one edge, a nickel slot 30 opposite this, and a slug receiving opening 31 at the opposite end. In addition, there is a return spring 32. Assuming then that a nickel is placed through the slot 20, it will gravitate down through the chute 23, and will drop into the slot 30 in the slide plate 28, when the plate is in the position shown in Figure 2.

However, this plate cannot be operated until the retaining latch 33 in Figure 7 is disengaged. This latch is arranged at the lower end of the chute and has a portion 34 projecting into the path of movement of the nickel. In addition there is a hook 35, which is seated in the keeper seat 29. Hence as the nickel gravitates, it will engage the portion 3a and produce a cam action, thus disengaging the hook 35 from the keeper seat 29 in the slide plate 28 and thus allowing the plunger 22 to be pressed inwardly against the action of the return spring. In so doing, the lower slug from the stack in the container 16 will be carried into registry with the opening 26 and the entrance end of the runway 17. Thus, the slug will glide down through the runway into the receiving depression 9 where it is accessible.

The idea in having a nickel container in addition to a slug container is to permit slugs to be redeemed. Hence, by placing a slug in the slot 19 and repeating the operation just described, the nickel is delivered into the depression 9 instead of a slug. There will be instances when a person will purchase three slugs for example and will use but two of them and will then desire to redeem the third one. 7

This third slug is placed in the slot 19 and through the action of the device, a nickel is refunded.

A careful consideration of the description in conjunction with the drawings will enable the reader to understand the alternate operation and function of successively releasing slugs and coins b appropriate utiliziation of coins to release t e slugs and slugs to release the coins, whereby to provide a desirable method of return or refund of coins for surplus slugs. Therefore a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and rearrangement of details may be resorted to in actual practice, so long as they do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the adjoined claim.

I claim:

A coin controlled ejector mechanism or slug vending machine of the character described comprising a guide plate having a coin receiving trough portion adjacent one end, said trough being provided wlth a com discharge aperture adjacent one of its ends, 7

channel forming flanges on the longitudinal side of the guide plate, one of said flanges having a detent receiving recess communicating with the channel at a point ad acent the trough and spaced longitudinally from' the coin discharge opening in said trough, a spring controlled slug ejector slidably mounted on the guide plate having a coin receiving slot communicating with the trough and a detent recess in its longitudinal side for registry with the recesses in the flange, a coin ter against longitudinal movement on the guide plate.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LE ROY GREENE. 

